Eye care tips

Here are some easy things you can do to start giving your eyes the loving care and attention they deserve!

Fundamental rule:

Listen to your eyes. Whether they are sore, tearing, itchy or tired, they are sending you a message. Listen to them. If your eyes hurt when you have been working at the computer for too long, stop and take a break. Be receptive to your eyes.

Palming

A simple technique called palming can refresh your eyes when they are feeling tired ( Remember the first rule! ). The term 'palming' was coined by William Bates, the author of 2 books on vision improvement and .

You just close your eyes and cover them with your palms, resting them on your cheek bones. Make sure you do not put pressure on your eyeballs. Relax and think of pleasant images. A variation is to imagine the 'blackest' black that you can. But the important thing is to keep your mind relaxed. There are more eye exercises available on the Vision Improvement Site.

Computer work

Nowadays, people spend a lot of time in front of the computer screen. Thus it is even more crucial to give your eyes adequate rest. Here are some things you can do:

• If possible, do computer work without wearing your glasses. I know this is difficult for most people but this is enormously beneficial. I can only see the screen about 8-10 inches away, so I move the monitor nearer and shift my chair forward. Now my eyes don't feel as tried as before.
• Look up across the room or out of the window every few minutes. Take a few deep breathes before continuing your work.
• Stop work after every 40 minutes or so. Get up from your seat and take a walk around the place. Palm for a few minutes before going back to face the computer screen again.
• Whenever possible, make use of your distant vision. Extended periods of time spent at the computer can really spoil one's eyesight, as you may have noticed. Seek out opportunites to see things that are far away.

Reading

When you are reading, do try to read without wearing your presciption glasses. Most people will find they can do so at a comfortable distance. Put the material you are reading far away just so that the letters can be seen clearly. Gradually, the distance at which you can read will increase.

Bicep Curl

A similar exercise to the Tricep Curl, the Bicep Curl can help you strengthen and tone your arms. Normally you would use some free weights while doing a bicep curl,there is no reason why you can't use items that are around the house, such as a tin of food or a bag of flour.

For this exercise it is ok to either be sitting or standing. Remember, always stay in your own comfort zone during the exercise and keep good form to do a bicep curl, somove slowly and with smooth movements.

• Stand upright, or sit on a chair (whichever you find most comfortable while exercising) with your feet shoulder width apart.
• Hold your weights down by your sides with your palms facing forward.
• Slowly and without moving the upper part of your arms, bend your arm and bring the weights up to your shoulders
  
  
• Return the weight back to the starting position, keeping the movement nice and slow.
  
  
• Repeat this exercise for a further 3-5 repetitions, or more if you feel comfortable.
  
  
• Depending on your personal preference you can do the Bicep Curls at the same time with both arms, or alternatively lifting first with one arm and then the other.

As you become stronger in your arms your ability to do more repetitions will increase. Try increasing the weight that you are lifting to get better results. You may wish to try using a resistance strap to add to the exercise.

Guidelines For Exercising At Home

You don't have to join the gym to be able to exercise. Why not stay in the comfort of your own home and lose weight for good. Below are some suggested exercises that are aimed to get you out of your chair and get a little home exercise. Although you can buy exercise equipment for the home, the only item that may need to be purchased are some dumbbells. These exercises are just a few of many, but will help firm, tone and keep you active. They will leave you able to carry out your daily tasks more easily. The exercises below are ideal for anyone who is new to exercise at home.

It's a good idea to check with a health professional and ask their opinion before undertaking any exercise, especially if it has been a while since you have undertaken any fitness program or exercise.

- Start off gently, and work within your comfort zone. Increase your effort gradually over several weeks.

- Maintain regular breathing throughout the exercises, try not to hold your breath - your muscles will need that oxygen!.

- Try to keep strict form with control, not using momentum.

Do not undertake any exercise if you are in pain or feeling unwell. If you feel faint, dizzy or unwell while exercising stop immediately.

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Mobility Improvement Exercises

Exercises to improve mobility of the neck, shoulders, hips and ankles. Great exercises for those right at the start of their exercise program.

Eye Exercises

The yoga practitioners attach special importance to eye exercises, for two reasons.

Firstly, a lot of eye problems in later life are due to a loss of tone in the eye muscles. These muscles become rigid, and this loss of elasticity reduces the ability of the lens of the eye to focus at different distances. It also causes the eyesight to become weaker. These exercises tone the eye muscles up and keep them elastic. If you already have eye problems when you begin these exercises, you will find your eyesight improving after a few months.

Secondly, any eye tension present will tend to produce a general feeling of tension, due to the eye's connection to the brain via the optic nerve. What happens is that eye tension produces an increase in the nerve impulses in the eye muscles. This increase in nerve impulses travels along the optic nerve and bombards the brain, causing a general feeling of tension and anxiety. The eye exercises will reduce tension in the eye muscles, as well as reduce general tension.

It is best to do these eye exercises while lying down after you've finished the asanas. This way you're resting after the asanas and doing the eye exercises at the same time, thus reducing the time taken to do your yoga routine.

When doing the eye exercises keep your eyes open and don't move your head.

Sitting (as in the exercises for the neck given above), open your eyes, then check on your posture. Is your spine erect? Hands on the knees? Body relaxed? Head straight? That is how you should always remain while doing eye exercises. The whole body must be motionless; nothing must move except the eyes.

Raise your eyes and find a small point that you can see clearly without straining, without frowning, without becoming tense and, of course, without moving your head. While doing this exercise look at this point each time you raise your eyes.

Next, lower your eyes to find a small point on the floor which you can see clearly when glancing down. Look at it each time you lower your eyes. Breathing should be normal. In other words, you don't have to do deep breathing.

Exercise 1

Move your eyes upwards as far as you can, and then downwards as far as you can. Repeat four more times. Blink quickly a few times 1 to relax the eye muscles.

Exercise 2

Now do the same using points to your right and to your left, at eye level. Keep your raised fingers or two pencils on each side as guides and adjust them so that you can see them clearly when moving the eyes to the right and to the left, but without straining.

Keeping the fingers at eye level, and moving only the eyes, look to the right at your chosen point, then to the left. Repeat four times. Blink several times, then close your eyes and rest.

Exercise 3

Choose a point you can see from the right corner of your eyes when you raise them, and another that you can see from the left corner of your eyes when you lower them, half closing the lids. Remember to retain your original posture: spine erect, hands on knees, head straight and motionless.

Look at your chosen point in right corner up, then to the one in left corner down. Repeat four times. Blink several times. Close the eyes and rest.

Now do the same exercise in reverse. That is, first look to the left corner up, then to the right corner down. Repeat four times. Blink several times. Close the eyes and rest.

Exercise 4

This exercise should not be done until three or four days after you have begun eye exercises given here.

Slowly roll your eyes first clockwise, then counterclockwise as follows: Lower your eyes and look at the floor, then slowly move the eyes to the left, higher and higher until you see the ceiling. Now continue circling to the right, lower and lower down, until you see the floor again. Do this slowly, making a full-vision circle. Blink, close your eyes and rest. Then repeat the same action counterclockwise.

Do this five times then blink the eyes for at least five seconds.

When rolling the eyes, make as large a circle as possible, so that you feet a little strain as you do the exercise. This stretches the eye muscles to the maximum extent, giving better results.

Exercise 5

Next comes a changing-vision exercise. While doing it you alternately shift your vision from close to distant points several times.

Take a pencil, or use your finger, and hold it under the tip of your nose. Then start moving it away, without raising it, until you have fixed it at the closest possible distance where you can see it clearly without any blur. Then raise your eyes a little, look straight into the distance and there find a small point which you can also see very clearly.

Now look at the closer point-the pencil or your finger tip then shift to the farther point in the distance. Repeat several times, blink, close your eyes and squeeze them tight.

Exercise 6

Close your eyes as tightly as you possibly can. Really squeeze the eyes, so the eye muscles contract. Hold this contraction for three seconds, and then let go quickly.

This exercise causes a deep relaxation of the eye muscles, and is especially beneficial after the slight strain caused by the eye exercises. Blink the eyes a few times.

Exercise 7

This exercise is called 'palming' and is very relaxing to the eyes. It is also most important for preserving the eyesight. Palming also has a beneficial, relaxing effect on your nervous system.

It's an ideal way to finish off the eye exercises.

Remain seated on the floor. Draw up your knees, keeping your feet on the floor and slightly apart. Now briskly rub your palms to charge them with electricity and place the cupped palms over your closed eyes. The fingers of the right hand should be crossed over the fingers of the left hand on the forehead. The elbows should rest on your raised knees and the neck should be kept straight. Don't bend your head. Do the deep breathing while palming your eyes.

If you are going to do the palming for longer than a few minutes, better sit down at a table, place some books or pillows in front of you to support your elbows so that you will be able to keep the neck straight, and palm the eyes in this position. If the palming is done for only a short period one can do deep breathing for half a minute or so at first, gradually increasing it every week.

Benefits:

This exercise helps to do away with eye strain, and tension. Your vision will get better and clearer as the ophthalmic, or eye, nerves receive a richer supply of blood. Some people use this to improve their vision.

Neck Exercises

The neck is given special attention by the yoga practitioners, since they realize that it plays a large role in health and vitality.

The neck is important for two main reasons. Firstly, since the nerves from the neck go to the eyes, ears and brain, a spinal misalignment in the neck can cause vision and hearing problems, as well as problems such as headaches and poor sleep. Secondly, since major blood vessels pass through the neck to the brain, a neck misalignment can put pressure on the blood vessels and reduce the blood flow to the brain. This is a very common cause of chronic fatigue.

The asanas and the following neck exercises improve the flexibility of your neck. A great advantage of this exercise is that it can done in at any place - while taking a bath, listening to the radio, watching TV, or at intervals while at work, whether at a typewriter or a kitchen sink. Before starting these exercises, see for yourself how flexible your neck is; then decide whether or not it needs to be exercised.

Just drop your head forward, then rotate it several times. If the rolling goes smoothly without any grinding or crackling noises you have nothing to worry about; if it doesn't, better try the neck exercises at once.

Usually the trouble begins when the joints, or rather their linings, are inadequately lubricated and begin to stiffen from accumulation of calcium deposits-a sign of old age regardless of how many or how few years ago you were born. This crunching sound is certainly a warning of impending trouble-unnecessary trouble, too, as one can preserve one's elasticity, health, and youthful appearance by spending a few minutes a day doing the right type of exercise.

Technique:

Sit on the floor with your legs crossed and keep the hands on the knees. If you prefer to sit on a chair, choose a hard one, otherwise you will find it difficult to keep your back straight, which is essential.

Relax the whole body. You should be conscious of it only from the neck up-the rest should remain motionless and as unstrained as if you were sitting tinder water up to the neck.

1. Now close your eyes and effortlessly and gently let your head drop forward and backward, then again forward and backward. Do each exercise four times to begin with. Later on you can increase the number to six or more. When dropping the head backward keep your facial muscles relaxed; the lips should part slightly when the head is thrown back.
2. In the next exercise, you first turn your head to the extreme right and return it to normal position; then turn to the extreme left and return to normal again. Repeat four times. Turning the head to the sides contracts the muscles, returning to normal position relaxes them.
3. In the third exercise you bend your head to the right as if someone were pulling your right ear towards the right shoulder, and straighten the head, bend it to the left and straighten again. Repeat four times.

When bending the head to the side, don't lift the shoulder, and don't tilt the head either-let it move only from its upright position into an almost horizontal one, otherwise there will be very little pull in the neck. This pull should be strongly felt in the left side of the neck when the head is bent to the right; in the right side when the head is bent to the left.

4. The next exercise resembles the neck movements of a turtle, for you should literally "stick your neck out" as far as you can, then draw it back again. In doing so, you will make a gliding movement forward with your chin, as if trying to reach far out with it and thus to lengthen the neck. Here the pull will be felt in the back of the neck on both sides between the ears as well as in the middle. Repeat this exercise four times..

Benefits of the neck exercises

	Improve vitality, sleep, vision and hearing
	Prevent headaches, since the nerves and blood vessels in the neck go to the head and brain

Caution

A lot of books include the neck roll exercise, in which the neck is rotated around clockwise and then anti-clockwise. This exercise is not recommended, since it jams the side joints of the neck, which can cause inflammation.

The Headstand (Shirshasana)

This posture may look like imposing to those who haven’t attempted it. Nevertheless, it is an extremely powerful asana. It is called the "king of asanas" because of its overall effect on the whole body. For beginners, it is better to start this in a corner so that you can practice it without the fear of falling down. Ask a friend to help you with this in the beginning.

Technique

You must use extra padding for the headstand, so use a folded blanket or some extra foam on top of your yoga mat. Don't use a pillow, since it's too soft.

If you don't feet very confident about going straight into the headstand, try stage 1 first. Once you are confident with stage 1, you can go on to stage 2, which is the standard headstand.

If you wish to try it on your own, place a pillow lengthwise behind your head, in case you fall over backwards.

Stage 1 (For Beginners)

1. Put your yoga mat into a comer, kneel down in front of it and place your interlocked fingers in the comer close to the walls.
2. Put your head into the hollow of the palms, rise off the knees and take a step or two towards the comer.
3. Lift one leg and place it in the comer against the wall. If you are a little unsure, ask a friend to hold the leg and put it in the corner. Now, just kick the other leg up. Stay there for about 15 seconds, trying to remain relaxed.
4. To come out of the headstand, just lower one leg at a time. Again, if you feel unsure, ask your friend to hold one of your legs while you lower the other.

Start off in the headstand for about 15 seconds. Increase the time by 15 seconds every week until you are doing three minutes.

Stage 2 (The Standard Headstand)

1. Kneel down on your yoga mat. Interlock the fingers of your hands and place them and your forearms on the extra padding on the yoga mat. Keep the elbows fairly close together.
2. Place the back of your head into the hollow of the palms (not on the palms or fingers). Rise up off your knees and take a step or two towards your head.
3. Inhale, and slowly raise the legs until they are vertical. Keep your back straight and try to relax. Breathe slowly and deeply from the abdomen.
4. Concentrate on the brain or the pineal gland between the eyebrows.
5. To come down, bend your knees and lower one leg and then the other. As for the beginners' stage, start off in the headstand for about 15 seconds and increase the time by 15 seconds every week, until you are doing three minutes.

Benefits

1. The headstand increases circulation to the brain, which causes improved brain function (intelligence and memory) and increased vitality and confidence.
2. It improves many ailments, such as nervousness, tension, fatigue, sleeplessness, dullness, fear, poor blood circulation, bad memory, asthma, headaches, constipation, congested throat, liver or spleen, for female disorders, the initial stages of eye and nose troubles, and general lack of energy, vitality or self confidence.
3. It stimulates four of the most important endocrine glands - the pituitary, the pineal, the thyroid, and the parathyroid glands that are responsible for our very existence, for they keep the body mechanism in good working order. Pituitary gland is called the master gland of the body. As a consequence, the practice of the headstand helps us to get relief from many of our troubles, physical as well as mental, or to prevent them. It has a very beneficial effect on the whole body.
4. It promotes hair growth by increasing circulation to the scalp.
5. It helps to put the spine into correct alignment.
6. It restores the position of vital organs by reversing gravity.
7. The quality of sleep is improved. Poor sleep is often due to an excess of nerve impulses from the reticular formation to the cerebral cortex in the brain. The headstand causes an increase in circulation to the neck, which stimulates the baroreceptors in the neck. This calms the reticular formation down, causing reduced nerve impulses to the cerebral cortex. This results in a peaceful, deep steep.

Because of the many benefits of the headstand, the yogis often refer to it as the 'king of the asanas'.

Time:

Do the headstand for fifteen seconds at first, adding fifteen more per week. The maximum time for it should not be more than twelve minutes, if it is done in conjunction with other exercises.

Caution

1. Don't do the headstand if you have high or low blood pressure. First get your blood pressure normal by natural means such as good nutrition, aerobic exercise and the other asanas. Even just giving up salt and taking garlic daily (tablets or in cooking) will cause a substantial reduction in your blood pressure.
2. Atherosclerosis (blocked blood vessels) and any history of strokes are also contraindications to doing the headstand. You must improve your circulatory system first, before attempting it.
3. If you have any serious eye diseases, ask your eye specialist's advice about doing the headstand.
4. Avoid this exercise if you are suffering from constipation, when the stool is excessively dry, if you have pus in your ears, if you are suffering from chronic nasal catarrh, or from very weak eye capillaries. Avoid this exercise if you have an organically defective pituitary, pineal or thyroid gland.
5. If you suffer from a neck injury or advanced arthritis in your neck, again you must improve your neck condition first. See your chiropractor, follow the nutritional principles in this book and do the other asanas to improve your neck. If you have a serious neck condition and you wish to get the benefits of the headstand, you can purchase an inversion apparatus, which gives you all the benefits without compression of the neck. In fact, this equipment produces traction of your neck, so your neck condition will actually improve.

Don't let any minor neck pain stop you from doing the headstand, since most of the weight of the body is actually supported by the forearms. There is very little pressure on the head and therefore very minimal compression of the neck.

The Fish Posture (Matsyasana)

Technique

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and arms at your side.
2. Arch your back as much as you can while raising it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. At the same time, throw your head backwards, resting the crown of your head on the floor. Use your forearm and elbows to support you.
3. Expand your chest. Breathe deeply with the abdomen and concentrate on the thyroid gland.
4. Stay in this position for about one minute. Slowly come back to the starting position.

Benefits

1. The fish posture normalizes the function of the thyroid, pituitary, pineal and adrenal glands. It limbers and stretches the neck, strengthens and tones the nervous system, the kidneys, the stomach and intestines, the pelvic organs, and the nerves connected with the sex functions.
2. This is the only posture in this sequence which bends the spine (including the neck) backwards. This is essential, to counteract the preceding asanas which bend the spine forwards. The result is to give a healthy stretch to the muscles and ligaments of the spine in the opposite direction.
3. This posture benefits people with asthma.

The Spinal Roll or Rocking Exercise

This is an excellent exercise to overcome the drowsiness and stiffness that one feels on waking in the morning. As you do this exercise, you will feel an invigorating sensation from your vertebrae getting a good massage. It will limber up your spine and keep it in a flexible and youthful condition. It is invaluable for those who are using yoga to dodge old age. It will also help you to sleep soundly. Thus, it is a good prescription for insomnia.

You may feel a little clumsy and awkward the first day when you do this exercise. Some people feel like losing their balance and falling down. In a few days you will feel accustomed to the rocking action and will start enjoying it. At that time you can combine rocking with deep breathing. Inhale while rocking backwards and exhale while returning forward.

Technique

1. Sit down at the end of the exercise pad to make sure that your back will not hit the hard floor. Draw up your knees, and bend your head down. Put your hands under your knees. You can join your hands or not depending on what is easy on you.
2. Keeping your spine rounded, gently swing back and forth, imitating the swinging motion of a rocking chair.
Don’t straighten your spine as you will roll backward or you will find yourself lying flat on your back, unable to swing forward again. Don't roll back too far on your neck. Don’t try doing the rocking exercise too slowly either. Imagine you are a rocking chair in motion. Feel for the massaging action on your spine. Enjoy the fun.

Hint:

Straighten your knees just as you swing backward and then immediately bend them again as you swing forward. Don’t pause after you have swung back but simply continue the to-and-fro movement. Otherwise you may get ‘stuck.’

Time:

Do this exercise four or six times, then lie down to relax until your breath returns to normal again. Take a few deep breaths while still lying on the floor.

Benefits

1. Makes the spine more flexible and youthful.
2. Massages all the vertebrae in the neck and spine.
3. If done in the morning it helps to overcome the drowsiness and stiffness that people often feel on waking up.
4. It's also very beneficial just before sleep.
5. The massaging action on the spine tends to relax the whole nervous system and establishes a better connection between the central nervous system and the rest of the body.

A Step By Step Practice of Yoga

A Basic Daily Yoga Program

Daily yoga practice is a good investment in health. Twelve minutes a day will purchase a toning of the muscles and improved digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems. The following exercises will provide a well-balanced program, which should be supplemented, of course, by any other postures that are particularly good for your needs:

Grip

Sitting on the heels, raise the right hand. Bring it slowly behind the shoulder, touching the spine at the shoulder blades. Slowly bend the left arm behind the back from the bottom, and join the hands. Hold; then change arms and repeat.

Benefits: Proper execution develops the capacity of the thoracic cage, helps prevent tendonitis and the formation of calcium deposits at the shoulder joints. Helps alleviate emphysema and asthma.

Kneeling Pose

Sit on the heels, with a straight back. Relax. Separate the feet and slowly sink in between, letting the buttocks touch the floor, doing this slowly and carefully so as not to strain knee ligaments. Make sure feet are not turned out.

Benefits: Increased circulation to prostate gland or uterus.

Lion

Sitting on the heels, with palms on knees, stiffly fan out the fingers. Lean slightly forward over the hands. Protrude the tongue as far as possible, contract the throat muscles and roll the eyeballs upward. Completely exhale, saying, "Ahhhhhhh." Repeat four to six times.

Benefits: Helps to relieve sore throat. Stimulates circulation to throat and tongue.

Locust

Lie face down. Clench the fists, keeping the arms on the floor at sides. Inhale. Using the lower back muscles, raise one leg toward the ceiling. Hold. Exhale and relax. Repeat with the other leg. Repeat two or three times, according to capacity.

More advanced: While in pose, raise both legs. A strenuous pose.

Benefits: Relieves problems of abdomen and lower back.

Warning: Do not perform this if you are suffering from hernia or you have back problem in acute stage.

Mountain

Sitting cross-legged, stretch both arms up toward the ceiling in a prayer like pose, fingertips together. Stretch up and breathe deeply and slowly five to ten times. Exhale and lower arms.

Benefits:Benefits: Strengthens lungs. Purifies bloodstream, improves digestive system, tones nervous system.

Posterior Stretch

Sit on the floor, with the left leg outstretched, the right heel tucked into the crotch. Inhale and reach the arms overhead. Hold the breath, drop forward, reaching the arms toward the left ankle, the head to the knee. (If you can only grasp the calf, do that, and relax, breathing slowly.) Concentrate on the muscles as they slowly lengthen, and inch down lower. Close your eyes. Release any discomfort in a sensation of relaxation. Hold one minute. Inhale, raise up, arms overhead, and exhale as you lower the arms to the side. Repeat with the opposite leg. Repeat with both legs outstretched.

Benefits: A powerful massage to the abdominal organs. Improves digestion and elimination through the forward-bending movement. Relaxes tensions in the back. Brings fresh circulation to face, firming tissue and improving color.

Warning:Warning: Not for those with slipped discs. It is important that the back is not rounded. All forward bends should be done from the hips.

Shoulder Roll

Sitting or standing, roll shoulders loosely forward in a circular movement five times. Reverse. For a bigger stretch, roll one shoulder at a time.

Benefits: Relieves headache, fatigue, tension, neckache.

Great pregnancy exercise: Low-impact aerobics

The benefits of low-impact aerobics during pregnancy
Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and lungs and helps maintain muscle tone. As long as you choose exercises that are low-impact — meaning no jumping, high kicks, leaps, fast running, and so forth — and keep one foot on the ground at all times to minimize stress on your joints, you should be able to continue your routine throughout most of your pregnancy.

Although exercise DVDs you can do at home are good when you're pressed for time (or just too tired to make it to the gym), consider joining an aerobics class designed especially for expectant moms. You'll enjoy the company of other pregnant women and the expertise of an instructor who understands how to keep you and your baby safe. (Many community recreation centers offer prenatal exercise classes.) If you're already signed up for a regular aerobics class, let your instructor know that you're pregnant; she can suggest ways to modify movements that may be unsafe or too strenuous for you.

First-trimester tips
Dress in layers of breathable clothing you can peel off as the intensity of the class increases. If you're huffing and puffing too much to carry on a conversation, stop; that's a sign you're exercising too intensely. Read the 13 rules of safe pregnancy exercise for more tips.

Second-trimester tips
Keep a bottle of water close by during class; dehydration can cause muscle cramps and in extreme cases even premature contractions. While there's no official recommendation about how much water pregnant women should drink while exercising, James M. Pivarnik, Ph.D., of Michigan State University suggests following this guideline: Drink one cup (8 ounces) before you exercise; one cup for every 20 minutes of exercise; and one cup after you finish your workout. In hot and/or humid weather, you may need more.

Remember that it may be harder to keep your balance as your belly expands. Use caution as you move across the floor. You may want to try a prenatal water aerobics class if one is offered in your community. It offers many of the same benefits as aerobics on land — a workout for your heart and body and the camaraderie of other expectant mothers — without the stress on your joints or the risk of injury or a fall.

Third-trimester tips
By now your pregnant belly is probably hampering some of your movements. If it feels too tricky or uncomfortable to bend or reach, just march in place. It'll keep your heart rate up while you take things a little easier. It's also best to avoid bending over, spinning, or any turning movements that may make you dizzy and cause you to lose your balance. Learn how to spot other signs you may be overdoing it.

Acupuncture, exercise help ease pregnancy pains

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who experience pelvic and back pain during pregnancy have a variety of treatments to choose from, a new review of available evidence concludes.

However, the authors say the effects of acupuncture, pregnancy-specific exercise, and physiotherapy are "small," and it remains unclear whether these approaches will prevent pain before it develops. "More research is needed on this widespread problem of pregnancy," Victoria Pennick of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto and Gavin Young conclude in their Cochrane Library report.

Over two-thirds of women will experience some degree of back pain during pregnancy, and nearly a fifth suffer from pelvic pain, the researchers note. While Pennick and Young found no articles that specifically addressed preventing back or pelvic pain in pregnancy, the investigators did look at eight studies involving a total of 1,305 women that compared adding different interventions to usual prenatal care.

Strengthening exercises, sitting pelvic tilts, and water exercises eased the intensity of lower back pain, and also cut down on the amount of sick leave women took due to pain, compared to regular prenatal care only, they found.

Stabilizing exercises and acupuncture were better than usual care alone for relieving pelvic pain. Among women with both back and pelvic pain, there was evidence that acupuncture was more effective than physical therapy.

The results of this review should be interpreted with caution, they add, given that "the quality of the studies was not the best." They conclude by calling for more research on the effectiveness of various approaches to treating back and pelvic pain in pregnancy in order to help prenatal care providers give women better advice on treating, and possibly preventing, discomfort.